. . heBlack Java. Its plumage was black and glossy, its sizelarge, pullets sometimes reaching eleven pounds in was an unusually hardy bird, with a dark, slate-colored,smooth leg and the bottom of the feet yellow. The hensproved good layers and of extra quality for the table. Isold a few of these birds to a Mr. Thayer, of Pomfret, ofwhom Mr. George Clark, of Woodstock, Conn., purchasedsome he supposed the same. Mr. Clark, passing Spauldings yard one day, noticed his fine flock ofDominiques and proposed bringing a f
. . heBlack Java. Its plumage was black and glossy, its sizelarge, pullets sometimes reaching eleven pounds in was an unusually hardy bird, with a dark, slate-colored,smooth leg and the bottom of the feet yellow. The hensproved good layers and of extra quality for the table. Isold a few of these birds to a Mr. Thayer, of Pomfret, ofwhom Mr. George Clark, of Woodstock, Conn., purchasedsome he supposed the same. Mr. Clark, passing Spauldings yard one day, noticed his fine flock ofDominiques and proposed bringing a few of his Javas overto cross with them, to increase the size. Mr. Spauldingaccepted the offer, and when the chickens were grownrejected the black ones and those with double comb, reserv-ing to breed from only the single-comb birds, which retainedthe Dominique color, or near it. One of the first productsfrom the eggs of this cross was a hen which weighed nineand three-fourths pounds. We soon had a fine flock ofthem. The fowls were spread around the neighborhood. o ■= FAMOUS FOREIGN BIRDS 487 and were much sought after, but had as yet no name. Agentleman asked me what I called them. I said, * PlymouthRock. The name passed from one to another and theywere soon generally known by that name. THE BLACK GROUSE* Well known as the Black Cock is supposed to be, wefancy few of our readers have ever seen a specimen. It isa native of the more southern countries of Europe, and stillsurvives in many portions of the British Islands, especiallythose localities where the pine woods and heaths afford itshelter, and it is not driven away by the presence of humanhabitation. The male bird is known to resort at the beginning ofthe nesting season to some open spot, where he utters hislove calls, and displays his new dress to the greatest advan-tage, for the purpose of attracting as many females as maybe willing to consort with him. His note when thus engagedis loud and resonant, and can be heard at
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
